Monday Miscellany

 

This is Pache.  

He is staying home while his friend Dusty competes at the U.S. Arabian Nationals. 

Pache, a registered Half Arabian, has already distinguished himself this year in a few shows, including a Regional Dressage competition in Portland.  

With Laurie riding him, he brought home some champion and reserve champion ribbons. 

 Pache was hanging out in a corral with Chrome when I drove over to my sisters' yesterday. 

I think it might also be called a "fat pen," which helps with their dieting plan. 

My sister Barbara won her first national Top Ten ribbon on Dusty yesterday in English trail while competing in Tulsa. 

Both Barbara and Laurie will ride Dusty today in their respective finals classes for Western Trail.  Barbara ranks 7th after the preliminaries in her class, while Laurie sits in 6th place in hers. 

Best of luck to each today. 

Here at home, the weather folks are telling us to expect some COLD weather this week---in the 20s, one day in the teens and maybe even some snow.  

Ugh, in October, no less. 

So, today will be a busy one around here with garden cleanup, the last tomato picking, more weed eating, leaf pickup and some pine needle raking around the blueberry bushes. 

Also, I'm getting myself mentally prepared for the ugly days when leaves and color have disappeared completely and the landscape turns drab.  

Not fun for a photographer during such times.

Happily, in my travels yesterday, there were still some lovely scenes. 

I finally managed to snap a couple of pictures of the stellar jay, which has a knack of flitting from place to place so fast, it's hard to get a photo.

I've noticed that the bird takes on several different sounds but definitely does the squawking when it sees me.

Fun having the pretty bird show up every day.

Annie headed back to Seattle yesterday, and now it's pretty quiet around here.  It was great having her home.

That's about it on this Monday morning.  

Wishing everyone a wonderful day. 

Enjoy the photos.